<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Delights of Eavesdropping (A Tasting His Lips Remix) by keeperofstories</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24478414">The Delights of Eavesdropping (A Tasting His Lips Remix)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/keeperofstories/pseuds/keeperofstories'>keeperofstories</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Everyone Loves Merlin, Get Together, Jealous!Arthur, Kissing, M/M, OCs - Freeform, Overheard Conversations, Remix</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:02:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,753</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24478414</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/keeperofstories/pseuds/keeperofstories</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin gets a compliment. Several, in fact. Arthur gets a little hot...and then very bothered.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>60</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>686</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Camelot Remix 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Delights of Eavesdropping (A Tasting His Lips Remix)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/little_dhampir/gifts">little_dhampir</a>.</li>


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/1542695">Tasting His Lips</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/little_dhampir/pseuds/little_dhampir">little_dhampir</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I want to thank little_dhampir for their work. I had fun reading through their stories and had several options to choose from to remix. I hope they, and y'all, enjoy my remixed version of their story <em>Tasting His Lips</em>.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>           Technically, Arthur had been stricken by a “sudden and extreme” headache and was currently convalescing in bed. He most decidedly was not sneaking into his own stables, Merlin by his side, at the time he knew the stable hands took their noonday meal. Therefore, there was no plan to saddle two of the less recognizable of the royal horses and spend the day in the forest to escape the tedium of their guests’ long-winded stories. Arthur had never before met anyone who could make tales of adventure and excitement so dry and dull. He had already suffered through three days of politely nodding along to these unending stories told in such monotonous tones that, Arthur swears, one of the tellers actually fell asleep mid-sentence; his duty had been sufficiently satisfied and he deserved a reprieve.
</p><p>           Unfortunately for the success of the plan that definitely did not exist, Arthur wasn’t the only one who had decided to take advantage of the stable hands’ absence. He only just had time to grab Merlin and propel them both into an unoccupied stall before two maids rounded the corner, talking excitedly.
</p><p>           “She’s the most gorgeous mare I have ever seen,” the taller maid enthused, her delight lighting up her face, giving her dark skin a hue of brilliance, her lush, curly hair bouncing as she practically skipped past stall after stall, heading towards the one that Arthur and Merlin were peeking out of. Her companion, a smaller woman though no less excited, her oval eyes shining with anticipation, said, “My family tamed a wild horse when I was a child. We never had to worry about her getting stolen, she would only let us ride her.”
</p><p>           “That’s Nilandra and Skye,” Merlin whispered into Arthur’s ear. At the brush of warm breath against the curve of his ear, a brief sensation of lips ghosting against his skin, Arthur felt a sudden shiver wrack his body that he couldn’t account for. The day was pleasantly warm and Merlin, pressed up all along his side, radiated a comforting heat. There was no cause to shiver at all. 
</p><p>           Dismissing the odd reaction as a fluke as Merlin moved back a step, not waiting for Arthur to say anything in response, Arthur returned his attention to the two maids. Arthur didn’t recognize either of them and he narrowed his eyes and took in Merlin’s profile as the man carefully watched the two women stop in front of a stall a little further down from their current hiding place. How, exactly, did Merlin know these women? First Morgana, then Gwen, now these mysterious maids, it sure seemed like Merlin was very free with his heart.
</p><p>           Before Arthur could move closer and poke fun at Merlin, the taller maid, Nilandra, opened up the stall door she and Skye had been looking through and a high-pitched whinny brought his attention back to the current situation and just which stall the two women had just opened.
</p><p>           Unlike most of the horses in the royal stables, that particular mare had not been bought but caught. The Stable Master had assured Arthur’s father that he could tame the beast and she would become the brightest jewel in the stables. He insisted they were making progress but Merlin had told Arthur how Gaius had been treating more and more men from the stables for bite marks, lacerations, and even some broken ribs. This horse was a menace and those two women had just blithely walked into her domain, unaware of the danger.
</p><p>           Arthur surged forward, hoping to intervene before too much damage had been inflicted when Nilandra and Skye emerged from the stall, leading the mare out and to the cross ties, the proud mare accepting Nilandra’s fond pats much more magnanimously than Arthur had seen her with the stable hands.
</p><p>           “She’s glorious,” Skye said, moving closer to give her own pat to the temperamental beauty.
</p><p>           “The stable boys think she’s too wild,” Nilandra said with a shake of her head, “But that’s because they think to tame something is to break it.” Nilandra ran a hand down the mare’s neck and, to Arthur’s shock, the mare actually lowered her head in appreciation. “They haven’t taken the proper steps to get to know her,” Nilandra continued as she set about organizing curry brushes, toe picks, and other grooming instruments. “I’ve been coming to her every lunch break almost since she first arrived, getting to know her and letting her know me. I tried to explain to the Stable Master that his approach was counterproductive and had more of a chance of ruining her than taming her, but he wouldn’t listen.” Nilandra gave a frustrated huff as she handed over a curry brush to Skye and finished, “They haven’t even realized they’re giving her the wrong feed! And when I tried, again, to explain, the Stable Master told me to ‘stop my womanly nagging.’ Ugh.”
</p><p>           “That sounds like a lot of the so-called ‘gentlemen’ in the castle,” Skye lamented as she put down the curry brush in favour of combing the mare’s mane. “You know, I took a stroll in the garden the other day with Gregor, one of the kitchen hands, and he tried to put his hand up my skirt!”
</p><p>           “Deplorable,” Nilandra said heatedly, though her touch remained gentle upon the mare as she gave her coat long, steady strokes. “There’s a depressing lack of eligible gentlemen at the castle right now. It’s truly disheartening.”
</p><p>           Nilandra produced an apple and knife from the pocket of her skirt and cut a slice from the apple to give to the eager mare. Nothing but munching filled the stable as the mare chewed her treat and then her head drooped low, her ears up and forward in a friendly greeting as Nilandra cut another apple slice for the clearly content horse. Arthur had seen the stable hands try to work with this hellion not even a day ago and he couldn’t believe this was the same mare he was seeing.
</p><p>           “Of course,” Nilandra said thoughtfully as she returned to her work grooming the horse, “It’s not in my nature to focus on the negative and there are some men here who don’t make me despair for the entire sex. Frederick, for example, at the gate. He always offers the kindest smiles without making any unsavoury remarks.”
</p><p>           “And Matteo,” Skye added, “One of Lord Monmouth’s assistants in the library. We read together every Saturday evening and he’s always genuinely interested in what I think.”
</p><p>           “And then, of course, there’s Merlin,” Nilandra said meaningfully.
</p><p>           Arthur forgot about these women’s amazing skill with the tempestuous mare and focused more on what they were actually saying at the mention of Merlin. Leaning forward, Arthur had to stifle a laugh at Merlin’s shocked expression as Nilandra and Skye fell into giggles on the other side of the stall door. <em>This’ll be good, if only to tease him with</em>, Arthur thought as he elbowed Merlin in the ribs, much to the man’s rancour. Though oddly hesitant to hear the women swoon over Merlin—because, of course, they should be swooning over him, not his hapless manservant—he was eager to get a glimpse of the man’s life when he was away from Arthur. Merlin rubbed at his ribs with needless drama, Arthur hadn’t poked him that hard, and Arthur caught himself watching Merlin’s hands as they flexed and worked along his body…maybe he really was sick, Arthur considered as he suddenly felt overly warm.
</p><p>           “He has another conquest, you know,” Skye informed Nilandra conspiratorially once their laughter had subsided, “Lissa, one of the assistant laundresses.” Skye gave an exaggeratedly sad shake of her head as Arthur watched Merlin tilt his head in confusion. Arthur tried to picture this befuddled man with too big ears and unruly hair as a “conqueror” amongst women but he couldn’t see it. What would they even see in him? It seemed Skye had the answer to Arthur’s unspoken question and he reluctantly tore his gaze away from an absorbed Merlin to once again watch the women.
</p><p>           “She took one look at his smile and was completely lost,” Skye said tragically. Even though Arthur had just resolved not to look at Merlin any longer, once again he found himself scrutinizing his manservant’s face. Merlin wasn’t smiling now, Arthur noted. Instead, he was watching the two women from their semi-crouched hiding spot quizzically. <em>What does he have to think about?</em> Arthur wondered, <em>Is he actually interested in this Lissa?</em> Arthur unconsciously moved closer to Merlin as Nilandra and Skye continued their conversation, unaware of their rapt audience.
</p><p>           “Someone should have warned her,” Nilandra said matter-of-factly, “Merlin, when he smiles, is too adorable by half. Any woman’s heart is bound to melt at the sight of it.”
</p><p>            <em>Merlin</em> and <em>adorable</em> did not belong in the same sentence. Were they, perhaps, talking about a different Merlin? Because, by Arthur’s estimation, Merlin’s smile would best be described as “goofy” and it was nothing to swoon over. And the idea that <em>Merlin</em> was going around making women fall in love with him was ludicrous. Laughable…and the only reason he was not laughing right now and was, in fact, frowning, was because 1) they were hiding and he didn’t want them to be found and 2) he didn’t want Merlin to get a big head from these maids’ ridiculous talk and become insufferable. He opened his mouth to whisper something biting to Merlin, perhaps how the only benefit to getting a big head would be that his ears wouldn’t stick out so much, when he was arrested by the sight of Merlin’s smile. He had seen Merlin smile before, Arthur was sure he had, but right now, Merlin’s whole face seemed lit up by it and Arthur couldn’t turn away. Had it always done that? Had Merlin’s smile always been such an alluring mixture of joy and surprise, drawing you in and offering to share his happiness with you?
</p><p>           Arthur gave a deliberate shake of his head and turned a suspicious gaze towards Nilandra and Skye. Were they actually aware of his and Merlin’s presence? Were they sorceresses who had cast some sort of spell to change the appearance of things?
</p><p>           “It’s not just women,” Skye was saying with surety, not betraying any sign that she knew she was being observed, “I’ve heard some of the footmen swear they would do just about anything to have Merlin give them a smile.”
</p><p>           “Among other things, I’m sure,” Nilandra replied with a sly smile of her own.
</p><p>           Arthur’s hands clenched into fists without him truly being aware of the action. Men, interested in Merlin? Arthur wasn’t naïve. He worked with knights on a daily basis, he knew the eye could occasionally stray towards a well-built, masculine physique in appreciation. Just a look, of course, nothing more. But the idea that <em>Merlin</em> attracted that kind of attention? Arthur suddenly wanted to know the name of every single one of these <em>footmen</em> that Skye mentioned so that he could…Breathing harshly, Arthur worked on getting himself back together. Merlin, despite Arthur’s occasional jokes, could in no way be mistaken for a woman and was constantly falling in love with every woman he met. There was no way he would encourage a man’s attention; Arthur was getting worked up for nothing. Casting a glance towards Merlin for reassurance of this fact, he saw that Merlin’s brilliant smile from a moment ago had vanished as he stared at the straw strewn about his feet. Merlin was standing leaning away from Arthur with one hand tapping spastically against his thigh. Merlin was trying and failing spectacularly to give an air of nonchalance and suddenly, Arthur knew. Women and men, both posed a potential threat, for either had the opportunity to steal Merlin’s heart. Though, that also meant <em>Arthur</em> had a chance to <em>win</em> Merlin’s heart.
</p><p>           Arthur was suddenly very conscious of just how close he stood to Merlin. Their close proximity, however much forced by the circumstances, allowed Arthur to hear the slow rasp of Merlin’s breath, feel the vital heat of his body, and see the smooth slide of Merlin’s Adam’s apple as he swallowed. Arthur didn’t know what was happening to him, whether it was the spice of danger of possibly being caught, the topic of the women’s gossip, or if he really had been hit by some sort of spell but he was suddenly hyper aware of everything that was Merlin, from his fresh scent to his mouth, which was slowly stretching back into a smile as the women continued their conversation.
</p><p>           “There really should be a whole orientation informing people about everything they need to know about living in the castle,” Nilandra said.
</p><p>           “And Merlin should be his own section,” Skye added with a light laugh, “Not that anyone just arrived to Camelot would believe the warning, let alone heed it.”
</p><p>           “True,” Nilandra said as she took out a blanket and set it upon the mare’s back, just below the withers. The mare tensed but didn’t snap at Nilandra as she continued, “All they would see are his ears and they’d think we were joking.”
</p><p>           “And then BAM!” Skye said, smacking her hands together exceedingly gently, so as not to startle the mare between her and Nilandra, “He gives one of his devastating smiles, highlighting those cheekbones of his, and they’re lost.”
</p><p>           Arthur would not look. Appreciating the physique of knights was one thing but lusting after a servant, a male servant, was just not done. These women with their magic words were making him see things in Merlin that weren’t there and he would not look. A sharp, pointy elbow connecting with his ribs ruined that plan as Arthur automatically turned to see Merlin with a delighted smile transforming his face once again as the two maids continued to heap praises on him. Arthur wasn’t watching them anymore, though, he was looking at Merlin, trying to go back to seeing him as nothing but a goofy, clumsy nincompoop.
</p><p>           “Gwen was the first to realize the danger. Do you remember how she pined? He doesn’t bring attention to himself, he doesn’t brag and strut like other men I could name, and so is easily dismissed by those who encounter him. I did the same thing the first time I saw him. But when you truly look at him?” Nilandra said with a dreamy sigh, “His cheekbones give him an air of danger while his ears say that danger is only to other people, never you. His smile lights up his face like the mere sight of you has chased away all the clouds. And his obliviousness to his effect on those around him is so alluring, it’s like a challenge. Will you be the one to finally break through and win his notice?”
</p><p>           Arthur could believe that Merlin was an oblivious idiot but he was starting to get the impression that he might’ve been acting the idiot as well. From what he was hearing, Merlin wasn’t known for romantic overtures or showing interest in a lot of people. Instead, it sounded like Merlin was the prize everyone was competing for and Arthur gave Merlin a speculative look, to see how he was taking the knowledge that half the castle appeared to be in love with him.
</p><p>           Merlin still had that ridiculous smile on his face but Arthur didn’t see anything to indicate vanity or anticipation for future conquests. Merlin just looked flattered and delighted and suddenly he was leaning towards Arthur!
</p><p>           “Hear that Arthur,” Merlin whispered as Nilandra and Skye continued their conversation in the background, “I’m a catch.”
</p><p>           Merlin had smiled at him before, they had been stuck in situations much more dangerous than these, hiding from certain death in those instances, and Merlin had whispered in Arthur’s ear more than a dozen times before. So why was Arthur suddenly feeling so overwhelmed by Merlin’s presence now? Arthur choked as Merlin brushed up against his body to laugh softly in his ear. Merlin exuded vitality and freedom, Nilandra’s description of him forced Merlin into a new light—his heart was not easily won nor haphazardly given—and he was right there, standing far too close. Arthur felt an all-consuming need to touch as Skye and Nilandra outlined just how unobtainable Merlin had been since his arrival to Camelot. Unaware of the sharp dig of Arthur’s nails into his palms in an attempt to maintain control, Merlin leaned even further into Arthur’s space to get a better view of the two maids as they ranked all his positive attributes. Arthur couldn’t concentrate on that, though, because he was once again bombarded with Merlin’s scent, his wild, black hair floating against Arthur’s face and all Arthur would have to do was turn his head slightly to the left and his lips would be touching Merlin’s cheek. 
</p><p>           Control. Arthur’s heart may feel like a stampeding horse but that didn’t mean he had to give in to his impulses.
</p><p>           “I kissed him once, you know,” Skye confided with glee and it was like his stampeding heart tripped over a rock and Arthur couldn’t breathe. All his excuses and denial fell away with the painful clench of his heart at Skye’s words and finally, he faced the realities of his desires. Damn, he wanted more from Merlin than he had ever wanted to admit.  Feeling like he was free-falling, there was no power in the world that could have stopped Arthur from stepping forward and invading Merlin’s space, slotting his body up along Merlin’s. He reassured himself with the press of Merlin’s body, the heat of it, that Merlin was right there, by his side where he belonged and not somewhere else kissing Skye. 
</p><p>           “No,” Nilandra gushed happily, mirroring Arthur’s thoughts though not his dark tone, “Tell me everything.”
</p><p>           “It was at last year’s Christmas party,” Skye began while Merlin met Arthur’s gaze with a questioning look, “We were both under the holly, so I leaned forward and kissed him, right on his cheek.”
</p><p>           Arthur raised up his hand and brushed a thumb along Merlin’s cheek as Skye spoke, describing the smooth, warm skin that Arthur was feeling for the first time. He heard her voice in the distance as what little space that remained between him and Merlin evaporated completely as Arthur rubbed his thumb along Merlin’s jaw and Merlin let him. 
</p><p>           “You are a catch,” Arthur whispered and Merlin’s confused expression melted away with realization and, dare Arthur hope, anticipation. Arthur saw his own hitching breath reflected in Merlin’s as the path of Arthur’s finger took it closer and closer to Merlin’s mouth. A previous source of aggravation, now Arthur found himself fascinated, wondering what it would feel like against his own. It was a consuming thought, the words of the two women ringing in Arthur’s ears, forcing Arthur to accept the veracity of their claims and acknowledge the appeal of being the singular focus of Merlin’s attention. He was the one, Arthur, no one else, to ignite that spark of interest in Merlin’s eyes, to cause that pink tongue to peek out and lick along those full lips.
</p><p>           Arthur didn’t know about Merlin’s life before he came to Camelot but he reveled in the knowledge that, while here, no one had been able to snag his attention save Arthur. He felt so elated by that thought, he almost felt drunk.
</p><p>           Growing bold, Arthur ghosted the lightest touch of his thumb across Merlin’s slightly parted lips before following the touch with his own lips, sliding his hand to the back of Merlin’s neck, feeling Merlin’s own hands wrap strong and sure around Arthur’s waist. Passion overtook finesse and they fought to erase any possible space between them, trying to occupy the same space, breath, and body.
</p><p>           The kiss was fierce but the still talking servants necessitated silence as Arthur learned the feel and taste of Merlin’s mouth and rocked against his taut body. Their hands wandered as their lips clashed and Arthur was surprised to find he was ceding control to Merlin, allowing Merlin to take over the glide and press of the kiss. It was only as he collided with the stall wall with a thud that some brain power returned to him and he broke the kiss, gaze darting to the stall door, expecting to see Nilandra and Skye to appear at any second to investigate the noise.
</p><p>           Instead, he heard the slam of the stall doors across from them as the women had obviously finished up with the mare and returned her to her stall while Merlin and Arthur had been occupied with each other. Breathing heavily, both men regarded the other warily as the women’s voices once again reached their ears.
</p><p>           “She’s coming along so well,” Skye said admiringly, “The new feed really does seem to agree with her.”
</p><p>           “I think so,” Nilandra said humbly but with clear excitement, “But you just know the stable boys will take credit for the change, thinking it was some clever thing they did that finally wore her down. They’d never imagine that someone with more knowledge than them had come and fixed their mistake.”
</p><p>           “Men get all the credit,” Skye agreed and then they were gone and Arthur and Merlin were free to leave their hiding space.
</p><p>           Avoiding his gaze, Merlin started to turn to see to their mounts. Unsettled by Merlin’s actions, Arthur took a deliberate step forward and halted the man’s momentum with a hand around his wrist. Leaning forward hesitantly, Arthur stared into Merlin’s eyes. He couldn’t bring himself to ask the question but Merlin seemed to understand and with one of his luminous grins, bridged the distance Arthur had left and took Arthur’s lips with his own in a gentle kiss that ended with a mischievous bite to Arthur’s lower lip.
</p><p>           “We should find some way to thank Nilandra and Skye,” Merlin said, his euphoric grin still firmly in place as they both worked to saddle their horses before anyone else could come and see them.
</p><p>           “I should make Nilandra Stable Master,” Arthur said with all seriousness in reply.
</p><p>           Soon, they were off and as soon as he could, Arthur spurred his mount into a gallop. He knew his own smile hadn’t faded one iota since leaving the stables as he and Merlin hurtled towards the forest. As he remembered it, there was one particular tree in there that Merlin would just look perfect pressed up against.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.</p><p>Thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>